COURTESY OF KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS

Father tells the youngest
that he should be chieftain

The Jealous Brothers

'Aukele was the youngest of a large family. From babyhood he had been his father's darling.

Now the eldest brother exclaimed, "Do you know what our father has done? I heard him tell 'Aukele that he should be the next ruler. That boy! Our father gives him everything! Did he take me in his arms and play with me? Did he give me gifts and honors as I grew older? Did he promise me the chieftainship? Yet I am eldest! All these things were my right."

Jealous of 'Aukele and fearful of the elder brother's anger the other young men answered, "The eldest should be ruler. Always 'Aukele has been the best-loved son." They failed to notice that one of them did not join in these jealous exclamations. That was Iku, next to 'Aukele in age and his companion and friend.

"Let us sail among the islands," the eldest brother said. "We are skillful in boxing, wrestling and all sports. Let us see if champions on Kaua'i, O'ahu and odier islands dare stand against us. 'Aukele shall be left behind." To this the brothers all assented and paddled off to prove themselves the champions of all Hawai'i.

'Aukele missed none of them but Iku. The youngest son was often with his father and had a boy companion in Kaumai, his eldest brother's son. Though Kaumai was 'Aukele's nephew they were nearly of an age and surfed and boxed together.

As 'Aukele had given little thought to his brothers' absence he gave little thought to their return until one day he noticed shouting. "What is that?" he asked his father.

"Oh, your brothers are at their sports," the father answered.

"But the shouting?"

"Two may be wrestling together or boxing. When one is thrown the watchers shout praise for the winner."

"I shall go down to see," 'Aukele said.

"No!" His father spoke sternly. "Your brothers are jealous of you, my boy. You are the son I love the best and your brothers know it and are jealous. Stay away from them or they may harm you."

'Aukele said no more but, some days later when he again heard shouting, he went down to watch the sport. The eldest brother saw him. "There is 'Aukele!" he whispered to one of the others. "Go and give the child a taste of your fist. If you hurt him never mind." He laughed an evil laugh.

The brother approached 'Aukele. "Why have you come?" he asked.

"To watch the sport," answered the boy.

"Perhaps you want to box?"

"Oh yes, I do!"

The next moment the older brother's fist shot out and 'Aukele staggered before the unexpected blow.

Instantly he recovered and struck back. The older brother fell.

The others had been watching and were not pleased at 'Aukele's strength and skill. "You go!" the eldest commanded the most skillful wrestler of them all. "Punish that upstart."

The wrestler rushed at 'Aukele but the young brother's arms caught him in a mighty grip, lifted him, held him for a moment, then threw him to the ground. A great shout rose from the watching crowd, "T??! T??! 'Aukele!"

"The watchers know he will be ruler some day," said the eldest brother, gritting his teeth. "They shout to win his favor. Between us we must get him down." So one after another the brothers boxed or wrestled with 'Aukele and every one was thrown, even the eldest.

His face was red with shame and anger. "No more sports today!" he said and beckoned to the brothers. He led them from the crowd and spoke to them in low tones but in bitter anger. "I never want to see 'Aukele's face again! Let us build a double canoe, my brothers. Let us leave this land, sail over the dark-blue sea and find another land which we can conquer. There we can be the chiefs and forget this upstart."

"Your words are good!" the others answered eagerly, filled with a longing for adventure. Even Iku willingly agreed. Taking tools and bundles of food the young men started for the forest.

The father of 'Aukele was not the only one who had noticed the boy's wisdom, his skill and courage and his generous nature. The grandmother also had noticed him. This old grandmother who was both wise and powerful became the teacher of her youngest grandson. One day she said to him, "Do you know what your brothers are doing?"

He made a sign for No. He had hardly noticed their absence.

"They are building a canoe to sail to other lands for conquest. They wish to leave you behind and that is well, for their canoe will meet great danger. It may meet death." 'Aukele did not answer but the old grandmother understood the eager light that came into his eyes. "Boys are all alike!" she said. "They seek adventure. If you must join your brothers listen earnestly to all I say. Only so can you save your life and perhaps their lives as well."

The young man listened earnestly, as he had listened to all the wisdom his grandmother had shared with him. At the end of her counsel she gave him sacred gifts. She gave him a calabash with a tight-fitting cover. In it she put the image of Lono, the family god, as well as a leaf which could satisfy thirst and hunger. She gave 'Aukele a sacred club and her own pa'u and her kahili, which could turn an enemy to ashes. As the young man walked away, carefree and happy, the old eyes watched him. "He will go!" she murmured. "He will face danger and death. He has power to overcome such challenges but has he wisdom? Has he courage?"

One day 'Aukele went into the forest to snare birds. Then he made a fire and was cooking his birds in hot ashes. He had not noticed the sound of the adze nor thought that he was near the spot where his brothers were working on their canoe.

Suddenly they appeared. "So!" said the eldest in a sneering tone. "Our servant has prepared food for us." He pulled the roasted birds from the ashes with 'Aukele's stick then picked up the boy's empty water gourd and held it out to him. "Get us water!" he commanded.

If 'Aukele noticed the anger back of this command he thought nothing of it. His eldest brother often spoke in anger but his words were to be obeyed. The boy took the water gourd and started. "Not that way!" called the eldest. "This trail will lead you to a spring." Without a word 'Aukele took the trail his brother chose.

The others sat about the fire sharing the few roasted birds. Only Iku was troubled at eating 'Aukele's food and only Iku noticed that the eldest brother also went off into the forest, though he did not take the trail 'Aukele had followed. Soon the brothers returned to work. The hollowing of their two canoes was nearly done.

'Aukele has been gone long, thought Iku. Perhaps he did not find the spring. And what is our eldest brother doing? Iku was troubled.

At last the eldest one returned. "Give me an adze," he said. "It is my turn to work."

"Where is 'Aukele?" Iku asked.

"I didn't see him," the eldest answered. "I went another way." His tone was ugly and Iku was more troubled than before.

Some days later the hollowing of the twin canoes was finished and the young men hauled them to the beach. As the others went about the work of polishing, Iku hunted for 'Aukele. Nowhere could the boy be found and no one remembered having seen him since their meeting in the forest. Often young men were gone for days in the forest or upon the sea and no one thought of danger. Even 'Aukele's father was not anxious, sure that his youngest son was not with the jealous brothers.

But Iku was troubled. He is dead! the young man thought. Our eldest brother found and killed him. "Aue! Aue!" Tears filled his eyes so he could hardly follow the forest trail. At last he came to the place where 'Aukele had cooked his birds. As Iku looked at the ashes he wailed again. This is where I saw my brother last, he thought. He took that trail to the spring and Iku also took the trail hoping, yet fearing, to find some sign of what had happened.

Suddenly he stopped. The spring is in a cave, he thought. But where is the cave mouth? It should be here, but here are only rocks. Is 'Aukele's body underneath those rocks? "Aue! Aue!" he wailed again.

"Iku!" A whisper came from the rocks. A spirit?

The young man shivered with fear yet answered bravely, "Who calls to Iku?"

"It is I, 'Aukele. The rocks fell while I filled my water gourd. I am shut in the cave."

Tugging and straining, Iku moved a rock and 'Aukele crawled through the opening he had made -- a hungry, thin but much alive 'Aukele. Together the brothers returned home.

"It was no accident the rocks rolled and closed the cave mouth," said Iku. "Our eldest brother followed you. He hates you bitterly."

But 'Aukele's mind was on something else. "You have made canoes," he said. "You plan to sail over the dark-blue sea to seek new land?"

"Yes." Now Iku's eyes were shining. "We shall be conquerors. We shall be chiefs."

"Oh, take me with you!"

"We can't do that, 'Aukele. Here you will be ruling chief. We older ones shall leave you and seek new lands where we also may be rulers."

"There will be danger. You may need my help," 'Aukele urged.

"Our eldest brother hates you. He will never let you go."

"There must be some way," said 'Aukele slowly. "I might hide --"

"And be thrown into the ocean! Oh 'Aukele, I know a way! Find Kaumai. Say to him, 'Take me as your companion. You and I are the same age. Ask me to come with you.' If Kaumai asks you to come into the double canoe you will be safe. Kaumai is very sacred, very precious. Our eldest brother, his father, never refuses anything he asks."

"Your plan is good," 'Aukele said and went to tell his father of his journey and to get the sacred bowl his grandmother had given him.

The father begged him not to go. "Your brothers are very jealous. They will do you harm," he said.

"Their canoe will meet danger, perhaps death," 'Aukele answered solemnly. "It may be I can help them," and he went toward the beach.

The brothers had carried their double canoe to the water's edge then left it in charge of Kaumai while they brought their bundles. When Kaumai saw 'Aukele he shouted gaily, "Come with us! I long for someone my own age." And when his father and uncles came he told them, "'Aukele is coming with us."

No one objected. As Iku had said, Kaumai was so precious to his father that nothing he asked could be refused. Because he and 'Aukele were constantly together Kaumai's father hid the anger that he felt toward his youngest brother.